Method of circulating hot water in a heating system.



No'..a 54.o54. v PATENTED MAY 21, 1907,

c; o." PEGK. METHOD or GIRCULATING HOT WATER IN A HEATING SYSTEM.

. APPI I IOATIONY FILED JUNE 28.1905.

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No. 854,054. PATENTED MAY 21,1907.

. 0. c. PEGK. METHOD OF GIRGULATING HOT WATER IN- A HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1905.

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CASSIUS CARROLL PEOK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF CIRCULATING HOT WATER IN A HEATING SYSTEM.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21,1907. I

Application filed June 28,1905. Serial No. 267,378.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CASSIUS CARROLL Pnox, residing at Rochester, 1n thecounty of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulMethod of Circulating Hot Water in a Heating System, of which thefollowing is a specification sufficient to enable others skilled in theart to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to hot water heating, and has for its object theforcible circulation of the water of the heating circuit by pressure ofsteam on its surface, and its automatic return after passing through thecircuit to the combined steam and water chamher from which it proceeded.The method of thus effecting circulation will be described in generaland in detail hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings like parts in the figures are representedby the same letters. Feathered arrows indicate the di rection of steamcirculation and unfeathered. arrows indicate the flow of water.

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation showing the several parts of my heatingsystem in opera tive relation and exemplifying one arrangement ofdevices suitable for carrying out my method of circulating hot water,the floors of the containing building being shown in cross section. Fig.2 is a central, vertical section on a larger scale than Fig. 1 of anautomatic regulator for effecting and controlling circulation in aheating circuit as shown in Fig. 1, the steam supply valves being shownin elevation. Fig. 3 is an elevation of another arrangement andconstruction of apparatus suitable for carrying out my method ofcirculating hot water. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section on anenlarged scale of the automatic regulator shown in elevation assuspended fromfloor beams in Fig. 3. Fig.- 5 is a detailed plan view ofthe valve lever shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, 1 illustrates a steam boiler typicalof any steam generator, or steam chamber, partially filled with water ofa heating circuit. 2, 2, are water radiators connected to the waterspace of steam generator 1 by supply pipes 3, the discharge, or return,pipes, 4 from said radiators being connected into the combined steam andwater radiators 5, 5*, these pipes being preferably provided with acheck valve, as 6, 6 respectively. Discharge pipe 7, which returns waterwhich has been circulated through the aforesaid pipes and radiators bypressure of steam on surface of water in steam generator 1, is connectedinto said steam generator preferably below the water line 8, and isprovided with a check valve 9 to prevent return of water from saidgenerator. This pipe has also a branch 10 connecting it with thecirculation regulator 11 (this number being intended to indicate theregulator as a whole), this regulator also having a steam pipeconnection 12 with the steam generator, said pipe being extended intothe bowl 13, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 and elevation in Fig. 2.The steam pipe 12 has also an extension 14 to the steam space at theupper portion of radiator 5, and an extension 14 to the radiator 5 Fig.2 is intended to show the same arrangement of regulator 11 and steamsupply pipes 12, 14 and 14 as Fig. 1. The bowl 13 is mounted to turn ontrunnions.

The operation is as follows: When steam pressure above pressure of theatmosphere has formed above the water line 8 in steam generator 1, itpresses the water out through pipe 3, which is preferably provided withcheck valve 18, into and through radiators, as 2, 2, and thence into thecombined steam and water radiators 5 and 5 Regulator 11 is set at aproper level with radiators 5, 5, so that they may be filled with watersimultaneously and to about the same level, or each in succession. Thena predetermined water level has thus been reached, the weight of waterin the bowl 13 of the regulator is arranged for overbalancingcounterweight 15 on lever 16, which allows said bowl to tilt downwardand assume the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. A bar 20,pivoted to a lug on the bowl 13, outside of the trunnion on which thebowl turns, is fastened to the handles or levers of the valves 17 and19. When the bowl tilts downward, the bar 20 is raised and the valvesopened, admitting steam to radiators 5, 5, and bowl 13 which, equalizingthe pressure, allows the water contained in the radiators and regulatorbowl to flow out and down through pipe 7 into the boiler, check valves21, 22 and 9 preventing it from being forced back into the radiators.Valves 1.7 and 19 may also be so set that the latter will be opened whenthe former is closed, in which case radiators 5 and 5 will fill andempty alternately, for when the regulator bowl is up, and being filledwith water IIO' from the radiator 5, valve 17 will be closed and valve19 will be open and admitting steam to radiator 5*; when the regulatorbowl is so far filled as to tilt down the water contained in bowl and inradiator 5 will flow back to the'boiler, as described above, and valve19 being thus made to close, steam will be shut off from radiator 5Steam in this radiator will then rapidly condense, and water from theboiler will be forced through supply pipe 4 and check valve 6 to takeits place. When the regulator bowl has discharged its contents, theweight will suddenly raise bowl 13 to the position shown in full linesin Fig. 2, which will close valve 17 and open valve 19; steam imprisonedin radiator 5 will immediately commence to condense, and water will beforced into the partial vacuum so formed. The steam admitted to radiator5 will equalize the pressure on the water therein with pressure in theboiler, and water will then flow out by gravity through pipes 7 and 7into the boiler (check valve 22 preventing its return), and the cycle ofoperations will begin again. In order to give time for steam in theradiators 5 and 5 to condense sufficiently between the rise and the fallof the regulator bowl, it may sometimes be necessary to place a valve 23in the pipe 7 leading from the regulator (Fig. 1) to throttle thedischarge.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the same general form of apparatus as that justdescribed is shown in connection with another type of regulator, whichis a tank 24, within which is a circular float 25, free to move up ordown. On top of the float is fastened a bar 26, and a similar bar 27 isattached to the bottom. A bar 28 is pivoted on a rod 29 near the bottomof the tank. Bar 28 has a weight 30 fixed to its upper end, for apurpose to be set forth. The steam supply pipe 31 from boiler 1 branchesnear the tank into two pipes 32 and 33. Pipe 32 has a valve 34, andbeyond this valve the pipe has a short branch 35, with the end openinginto the tank, and a branch 36 extending to the top of the condensingradiator 5 Pipe 33 has a valve 37, and beond this valve the pipe extendsinto another tank 38, and through said tank to top of radiator 5. Tank38 contains no float, valves, or bar like those in tank 24. To the stemof each of the valves 34 and 37 is fixed a yoke 40 (see Fig. 5) at theend of a short arm 41, adapted to be engaged by bar 28 which comes incontact with the end of hooks 42, thereby operating or turning thevalves when the bar is moved from one side of the tank to the other.Operation of the system as constructed in this manner is as follows: Thepressure of steam in boiler 1 forces water up through supply pipe 3 andradiators 2, 2, into the condensing radiator 5 and thence overflowsthrough pipe 7 a into the regulator 24, raising the float therein. Asthe float rises, the bar 27 on its lower side presses against the bentportion of the vertical bar 28, and forces it to the left, When thefloat has risen high enough, bar 28 has been carried so far over that ithas just passed the vertical plane of its pivotal support, and weightthen causes it to suddenly fall the remaining distance to the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 4. In so doing bar 28 en gages the yoke oneach of the valves 34 and 37, swinging said yokes into position shown inFig. 5. In this position valve 34 is arranged to be open, and valve 37closed.

Then steam will flow through valve 34 into the top of tank 24 andradiator 5 equalizing steam pressure and allowing water to flow bygravity into the boiler through check valve 43 and pipe 7. As waterleaves the tank, the float gradually sinks, and bar 26 presses on theslanting portion of bar 28, and before the float reaches its lowestlevel the center of gravity of the bar passes the vertical plane of itspivotal support and falls over to the right (shown by dotted lines inFig. 4) engaging the operating yokes as before, and, reversing thevalves, shuts off steam from tank 24 and radiator 5 and admits it totank 38 and radiator 5. This will allow water which has largely filledsaid tank and radiator by reason of the boiler pressure and thecondensation of steam admitted to them through valve 37 in the firstoperation, to flow back to boiler 1 through check valve 44 and pipe 7.Steam inclosed within tank 24 and radiator 5 then begins to condense,water is forced in from the boiler, the float rises, and the cycle ofoperations is again repeated.

It is not necessary that regulator 1 1 should be located at the top ofthe circuit, or on the same level as radiators 5, 5. It may in fact belocated in a basement and but little above the level of the steam-watersupply chamber.

The duplicate system of condensing radiators is especially advantageousin large heating systems, as flow from, and return to, the steamgenerator can thus be made practically continuous, and piping for thesystem as a whole can be made smaller for a given volume of circulation;but it is obvious that radiator 5 with its connecting pipes and valvescan be omitted when an intermittent flow through the heating system isadmissible. Also that if valves 17 and 19 be set to open at the sametime and close at the same time, the two circulation circuits will beoperated as one; in which case the said valves as shown in the positionin Figs. 1 and 2 will both be closed.

I do not confine myself to the apparatus herein described and shown inthe accompanying drawings, as equivalent instrumentalities may beemployed for embodying the general method which I claim of effectingwater circulation in a hot water heating system, further variations indesign and arrangement being shown and described in my concurrentapplication (Which has gone to issue) on mechanical features.

This method of forcibly circulating Water of a hot Water heating circuitis suited to meet most situations Where either live steam, or any otherarrangement of a hot Water circuit, Would otherwise be employed. Whenthe system is properly arranged and installed as herein described, it isautomatic in operation, requiring no special attention, and possessesall the desirable qualities Which go With a mechanically forcedcirculation of hot Water, such as small supply and return pipes notrequiring to be run on any fixed grade, evenly heated radiatingsurfaces, avoidance of water-hammer, easy protection against freezing,no trouble with air in pipes or radiators, etc.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of circulating hot Water in a hot Water heating circuit,consisting in forcing Water by steam pressure on its surface through aportion of the circuit to a higher level, return flow through saidportion being prevented; automatically and suddenly admitting steam tothe circuit above the upper level of the Water, thus permitting theWater to flow by gravity through the remainder of the circuit to itsstarting point and automatically and suddenly shutting off the steam tothe upper portion of the circuit, thus permitting the pressure in saidupper portion to be diminished by condensation.

2. The method of circulating hot Water contained in a steam boiler in ahot ater heating circuit, consisting in forcing the boiler Water bysteam pressure on its surface through a portion of the circuit to ahigher level, return flow through said portion being prevented;automatically and suddenly admitting steam to the circuit above theupper level of the water, thus permitting the Water to flow by gravitythrough the remainder of the circuit back into the boiler; andautomatically and suddenly shutting off the steam to the upper portionof the circuit, to permit the pressure in said upper portion to bereduced by condensation.

3. The method of circulating hot water in a hot Water heating circuit,consisting in forcing Water by steam pressure on its surface through aportion of the circuit to a space at a higher level, return flow throughsaid portion being prevented; automatically and suddenly admitting steamto said space, thus permitting the Water to flow by gravity through theremainder of the circuit to its starting point; and automatically andsud denly shutting steam oil from said space, thus permitting steampressure in the space to be diminished by condensation, the supply ofsteam to said space being controlled according to the Water leveltherein.

4. The method of circulating hot Water in a hot Water heating circuit,consisting in forcing Water by steam pressure on its surface through aportion of the circuit to a higher level, return flow through said portion being prevented; automatically and suddenly admitting steam to thecircuit above the upper level of the Water, thus permitting the Water toflow by gravity through the remainder of the circuit to its startingpoint; and automatically and suddenly shutting off the steam to theupper portion of the circuit, and condensing it on radiating Walls inthe circuit, to reduce steam pressure in said upper portion of thecircuit.

5. The method of circulating hot Water in a plurality of hot Waterheating circuits, consisting in forcing Water by steam pressure on itssurface through a portion of each circuit to a higher level, return flowthrough said portion being prevented; automatically and suddenlyadmitting steam to each circuit above the upper level of the Water, topermit the Water to flow by gravity through the remainder of eachcircuit to its starting point, return through this portion of thecircuit being prevented; andautoinatically and suddenly shutting off thesteam to the upper portion of each circuit and reducing its pressuretherein by condensation, to permit Water of the circuit to be forcedinto said upper portion to replace the steam.

CASSIUS CARROLL PECK. lVitnesses CHARLES L. WHITMORE, \VILLIAM W.WHITMORE.

